My Love, My Life
by abiholmes97
Summary: Faith and Vittoira's life for the nine years that they had together. Each chapter is a different year of Faith's life.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

 _I've never felt this strong. I'm invincible, how could this go wrong? No, here, here's where we belong. I see a road ahead, I never thought I would dare to tread._

It was 11 at night and Vittoria was pacing the corridor outside of her lab in CERN.

She had just found out that she was pregnant and there was only one man whose child it could be.

The trouble was, he lived hundreds of miles away, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Looking at her phone screen, she took a deep breath and dialed his number. She knew he would be asleep, but she couldn't wait. If she didn't tell someone, she might just burst. Robert was the only "family" she had left.

Vittoria placed the phone to her ear and listened to the ringing tone, praying that he would pick up. And then the phone connected, and Robert's deep but sleepy voice answered the phone.

"Robert Langdon?" he sighed down the phone.

"Robert? It's Vittoria."

She could hear his attention peaked. They hadn't seen each other in months, not since they had decided that their relationship wasn't going to work.

"Vittoria! How are you? How have you been?" Suddenly he sounded more awake.

"I'm fine. Busy working. I have some news for you though…"

"What is it?"

"I don't know how to say this…"

"Vittoria?" he sounded worried now.

She sighed, thinking it would be best just to say it, "I'm pregnant Robert, and it's yours…"

There was silence on the phone line. The only thing Vittoria could hear was the sound of the machines whirring in the background behind her and the sound of their breathing.

"Robert?" she asked, "Robert, are you ok?"

"Pregnant?" he finally responded, "But how…"

"Do I really need to tell you…"

"No, that's not what I meant." He chuckled, "Vittoria, we haven't seen each other in four months…"

"And the last time we saw each other, we had that rather fond farewell in Florence, I believe?"

She could hear the realization hit Robert.

"Oh my…."

"Anyway, I just thought I would let you know."

"Wait, Vittoria!" Robert sighed, "I'm sorry, it's early here and you've taken me by surprise…"

"I know and I'm sorry, but I had to tell you, you have a right to know."

"Look, I'm coming over to Italy in a few weeks for my Art Conference. How about I come and stay until the baby comes?"

"But what about Harvard? Your classes?"

"I can take a few months of Sabbatical. The University owes me that much. Call it a research trip for my book!"

Vittoria smiled, "Sure. I'd love to have you over here."

"Alright, I'll call again when everything is settled, and I know what I'm doing!"

"Thank you, Robert."

"Hey, we made this baby, we're in this together."

A few months later, and Robert was living with Vittoria in Switzerland. She had decided to stay there until their child was born and then she would move back home to Rome, where she would live with their daughter. Robert had already stated that he couldn't move out there and Vittoria couldn't ask him to give up his life. She had contemplated going to the states, but she liked her position at CERN and it had taken her a while to get there.

Vittoria was glad that she wasn't pregnant in the summer heat. Luckily, Switzerland cooled off in the winter and as she was nearing her due date, it began to snow.

And then, one morning, Vittoria woke up to a searing pain across her stomach. She cried out and Robert woke up.

"What? What is it?" he asked, groggily.

"I think…" she gasped, wincing at the pain, "I think I'm in labor Robert!"

"Oh right!" and he leapt out of bed to call an ambulance.

What seemed like hours later, when in fact it was just a few minutes, both Vittoria and Robert were speeding towards the hospital. Robert was in a state of panic but tried to hold it together for Vittoria's sake. There was a part of him that knew he wasn't ready to be a father, but at the same time, he had to be ready. Vittoria needed him, the baby needed him, his baby, his child. In a matter of hours, he would be a dad. His brother had done it and had a beautiful baby boy, Thomas, who would be a few months older than his child. His sister and younger brother had yet to start families, but if his brother could do it, then so could he.

Robert paced nervously up and down the corridor in the maternity ward. Everything was in French and he was beginning to wish that he was pacing the corridors of Mass General in Boston, with its English signs and English-speaking nurses.

After what seemed like hours, and this time it probably was, Robert was called by a young nurse from Vittoria's room. She pushed back the door and there was Vittoria, tired and exhausted, but smiling none the less. In her arms, lay their sleeping child. Vittoria looked up as she heard the Professor come in. She smiled.

"Robert, you have a daughter." She stated simply.

"A girl?" he asked, coming round to her side.

Vittoria nodded, "A healthy baby girl. Born at half four on the 17 of December, in Geneva, Switzerland."

Robert blinked back the tears from his eyes. He could see his daughter sleeping peacefully in her mother's arms. Even wrapped in the blankets, he could tell that she had electric black hair. Her fists were curled under her chin. She just looked so peaceful.

"I told _Il Camelengo_ when he asked if I believed in God that Faith was a gift that I had yet to receive. That I wasn't lucky enough to experience faith. I now feel that in this moment, I finally know what everyone has been going on about, I have received faith." He smiled at Vittoria, "She's my Faith."

Vittoria smiled, "We should call her that!" she looked down at her daughter, "Little Faith. Her grandfather would approve."

Robert just smiled and looked down at his little miracle, his Faith. In that moment, Robert Langdon knew his life had changed forever.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

 _My love, my life. But I know I don't possess you. With all my heart, God bless you. You will be my love and my life. You're my one and only…_

Faith was almost a year old and the light of her mother's life. Vittoria was raising her all on her own. Robert had left for Cambridge a few months after Faith had been born. She couldn't ask him to stay, likewise, he couldn't ask her to leave. Robert had promised that he would stay in touch and come back and visit every so often. But other than that, she was on her own.

Vittoria had remained in CERN for half a year after her daughter was born. She was settled here currently and, although she was currently on maternity leave, she could keep abreast with things that were going on.

But Vittoria ultimately made the decision to move back home to Rome. This is where she wanted to live with Faith as she grew up. She was Italian, she wanted her daughter to be Italian too. She also wanted Faith baptized and she couldn't imagine any place better to have her welcomed into the family of Christ. Vittoria herself wasn't a big believer in God, but the man who raised her, Leonardo Vetra, was and she felt as a testament to him, that she be baptized.

The morning of Faith's christening came before Vittoria had a chance to process what was happening. Robert was asleep on the couch, having flown over the day before. Vittoria had only felt it right to have Robert there, he was her daughter's father after all. They had agreed that she would be taking Vittoria's surname and her middle name was Leona, after her grandfather. Vittoria had woken early. Partly because she had forgotten to close the curtains, and partly because Faith had woken up. At almost a year old, she could toddle around happily and was quite willing to explore the house on her own. Her hair was jet black, like her mother's but she had Robert's eyes, something that Vittoria was quite glad about. Her daughter had inherited the best thing from her father, his eyes.

Faith had been wary of Robert when he first arrived. He couldn't blame her. This was the first time she had seen him since she was born. To her, he was just a stranger. He hoped that they wouldn't be like this forever. He remembered seeing her for the first time in months. He was surprised to see how much she looked like her mother already and Vittoria had told him that she had his eyes.

"Poor child!" he had chuckled.

He was touched that Vittoria had asked him over to the baptism. It meant a lot to be a part of his child's life. They weren't sure how this was all going to work out. It was a mess and there was no denying that. But he was determined to be a part of her life. Even from afar.

Faith was baptized in the Santa Maria del Popolo. Both Robert and Vittoria were glad to be forming some happy memories in the Church. The last time they were there, a Cardinal had just been murdered. Faith held tight to Vittoria's hand for most of the journey, but towards the end, she was walking with Robert more and, as they entered the church, she held onto his hand.

It was a lovely service. Faith was not happy when she had water poured on her head, making Robert smile. They then wondered to a nearby coffee shop and had lunch together.

"When do you fly home?" asked Vittoria, smiling at her daughter, who was colouring.

"My flight is a six tomorrow morning." Said Robert, "I'll be out of your hair soon!"

Vittoria had to smile, "That isn't what I meant..."

Robert smiled too, "I know."

Vittoria looked at Faith and then at Robert, "How is this going to work? I want you to be a part of her life, I want her to know her Father, but..."

"I live in Amercia?"

She nodded.

"Well, I'm over in Florence for a week every summer. I could make time at the end of my trip to come and visit you guys?"

"I'm in Geneva for three weeks of the summer."

"Well, I'll come there then. Until Faith is older, and she can fly to Florence to join me."

Vittoria thought for a moment, "That could work."

"I could even come for some Christmas'. Sometimes I'm with my brother in Montana, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I came over sometimes."

"That would be nice."

"And look," he passed a pencil to Faith that she had dropped, and she smiled at him, "We have a whole lifetime ahead of us to sort this out. Figure what works and what doesn't. Nothing has to be set in stone yet."

Vittoria took a sip of her coffee and smiled, "This is true. You could also try and be out for her birthday, which is just before Christmas?"

Robert smiled, "I'll try."

Vittoria smiled again. "I'm sorry about all this." She sighed, "It's a right mess."

He chuckled, "It's my mess too!"

"Mama?" came a small face from in between the pair. Vittoria looked down at her child and smiled, "Mama, I'm tired!"

"Do you mind heading back to ours?"

Robert shook his head, "Do you want me to carry her for you?"

"If she'll let you!"

Robert bent down to Faith's height and looked at her gently. On closer inspection, not only did she have his eyes, but her nose and face shape were very similar to his too. He took a moment. He had a daughter, another human being whom he was responsible for.

He shook his head and smiled, "Faith?" he asked, looking at her, "Faith, would you like daddy to carry you?"

Faith thought for a moment, "Papa?"

Robert was taken aback. This was the first time she had acknowledge him as her father. "Yes, papa!" he smiled.

Faith gave him a small smile in return, "Papa carry Faith?"

He nodded, "If that's ok with you?"

She thought for a moment and then slowly nodded her head. Robert smiled and scooped the little girl into his arms. She molded herself into his body and shuffled around until she was comfortable. Then Robert watched as her eyes began to close, and her breathing slowed down. Then she was asleep, and Robert carefully carried this amazing treasure back into the winding, ancient streets of Rome.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

 _I held you close to me. Felt your heart beat and I thought: I am free. Oh yes, and as one are we in the now and beyond. Nothing and no one can break this bond_.

Faith was now two-years-old and was getting into all kinds of trouble. She was quite adventurous for her age and could disappear into a side alley or building, leaving Victoria to panic. Still, she was beginning to learn all of Faith's hiding spots and was able to find her when she wandered off.

However, CERN was the worst place to take a two-year-old. They went over every summer for three weeks so that Vittoria could keep up with her scientific work. There was plenty for her to do in Rome, but CERN was where all the science was happening. It was a home away from home. For Vittoria. For Faith, it was a giant maze full of places to hide from her mother and the other scientists.

One day, in the middle of August, Faith managed to get herself well and truly lost. Her mum was busy working on something important and she had gotten bored of colouring. She picked herself up and went for a wander. She knew that there were places that she wasn't allowed to go and her mother had spoken to her colleagues to keep her out of those areas. Faith enjoyed wandering round CERN. It wasn't like where her mother worked in Rome, it was so much more than a lab. There was a hospital, a pool and even a cinema. Faith would go swimming with her mother in the evenings when things were quieter, and Vittoria was desperately trying to wear her child out. Faith knew to stay out of the hospital as it was a busy place where people went to be made better. But she had never been in the cinema before. Toddling off, she headed in the direction of the cinema. Not knowing her daughter had wandered off, Vittoria continued to work in her lab.

Faith never ceased to be amazed by how big CERN was. Even though she was small, it still felt huge and she knew that it would still feel big when she was thirteen or fourteen years old. She knew the way to the cinema perfectly. She often went for walks while her mother was working. It was the best way to keep herself entertained, but she was usually stopped at the cinema and taken back to her mother's lab. This time, however, there was no-one stood at the door. She toddled in and found her way into the screen. She settled back in the seat as the opening to Pixar's 'Finding Nemo' played. Faith sat and watched as colours and sounds danced across the screen. She laughed and smiled, the characters entertaining her way more than simple colouring. She was unaware that at that moment in time, her mother was looking for her, panicking over where her daughter was…

"Faith!" Vittoria called desperately, running out of the lab, "Faith, dove sei? Where are you?"

"Vittoria?" asked Angus Sinclair, a Scottish scientist who was quite fond of the Italian scientist and her daughter, "Vittoria, what's wrong?"

"It's Faith!" she told him, "She's walked off and I don't know where she is!"

"Well, she only has little legs!" Angus smiled, his smooth scots accent contrasting with her fiery Italian one, "She cannae got too far!"

And the pair of them hurried through CERN, looking into all the places that a two-year-old might hide. Soon, they found themselves in the main atrium, the same place Vittoria had arrived three years ago when she first met Robert and found her murdered father. Shaking those memories out of her head, she called again, "Faith!"

"Vittoria!" called Jackie Stewart from one of the pillars, "Vittoria, she headed towards the entertainment complex half an hour ago!"

Vittoria ran off in that direction while Angus yelled, "Thanks!" as he followed her.

Vittoria's legs pounded the floor as she ran through the corridors ignoring the stares and comments. She needed to know that Faith was alright. She was used to her wandering off and Vittoria knew that she couldn't stop her. She knew that this must be very boring for Faith, but she need to come to CERN to test her theories. The labs here had the equipment she needed, otherwise they would stay in Rome. Someone had usually brought her back by now but they hadn't, which is what made Vittoria scared. Maybe she had been hurt and not been able to find her way back? What if she had gotten herself lost? Scenarios flooded her mind and she did her best to ignore them. As she rounded the corner, she entered the cinema, telling herself it would be ok. She knew she had no reason to panic. Faith was safe, she couldn't go anywhere. But somehow, when it's your child, no amount of rational thought seems to help.

Vittoria entered the first screen she got to, thinking that's what Faith would have done and she was right. Settled into one of the seats in the middle was the sleeping form of her daughter. Vittoria smiled and sighed in relief. She wasn't cross at all, just glad that she was ok. She walked over to the seat next to her daughter and sat down.

"Hey." She said softly.

Faith looked up and was surprised to see her mother sitting next to her. She should be working, Faith thought to herself.

"Enjoy your little adventure?"

Faith looked at her hands thinking that she was in trouble, "I'm sorry mama, I got bored."

Vittoria smiled, "I'm not angry, Faith. I was just worried is all."

Faith looked up at her mum, "You're not mad?"

Vittoria shook her head, "I realise this place isn't fun at all for you. It must be boring at times. Do you want to know a secret?"

Faith grinned and nodded her head.

"I sometimes find it boring here!"

"You do?" gasped Faith.

Vittoria nodded, "And, this is my all time favourite film. Do you mind if I watch it with you?"

Faith shook her head, smiling from ear to ear. She was spending time with her mum that didn't involve a lab or a computer and colouring for her to do. Both mother and daughter settled back in the cinema chairs and got lost in the magic of the movies.


End file.
